Gullible
by TeeEye82
Summary: TFP One-Shot: There are three kinds of people in this world. Those that can change, those that can't, and those that pretend they have when they really haven't. It's too bad the members of Team Prime have no idea how to tell the difference between them when it comes to Starscream.


**_This is a one-shot gift to JetfireWeasleyThe5th, who requested Starscream/Arcee fluff, with Starscream a part of the Autobots. Now, I know fluff is technically supposed to be a comforting and sweet, most of the time plotless, little story, but I just.. I can't picture Starscream being sweet or nice in any sense of the words without some alternative motive. And I can't write anything without plot. So I don't know if that ruins the point of fluff, but it's what I have here. A slightly dark, maybe a bit confusing, fic with an unexplained plot. Anyway, without further delay, I give you this._**

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**Gullible  
**

Arcee couldn't- no, _wouldn't_ believe what had just happened.

She had been standing there in a tense, heated argument with the sniveling Seeker over what he had done to Cliffjumper and why. She had even at one point been tempted to hand him the key to his cuffs and destroy him, but for some reason she hadn't. Instead, the back and forth accusations and then excuses kept on, and eventually she had decided that if he went missing, Optimus either wouldn't care or would accept the claim that "Starscream managed to escape."

But Bumblebee had returned before she could do anything, desperately clicking and beeping about how the rest of the team needed help. So him, Starscream, and herself had gone and moved the Immobilized mechs from the canyon back to base, using the ever convenient technology of groundbridges. And she was prepared to tell Optimus right then and there about what exactly the sly silver one did to Cliffjumper and how he should be punished, ready to sink her servos into Starscream's neck cables and just tear them out.

Primus was not on her side that day.

"Starscream," Optimus said, slowly working a kink in his shoulder as he watched the cowering Seeker.

"Y-yes?" he replied with a nervous stutter, towards which Arcee frowned deeper. She was sure he was playing it up, pretending to be afraid in order to gain the Prime's sympathies.

"I have said this before, and I will say it again; every sentient being deserves the right to another chance. A chance to rechoose who and what they want to be. Do you still wish to join the Autobot cause?" Ratchet had more or less voiced all the feelings and thoughts that were going on in her chassis, cutting off Starscream before he could answer.

"Optimus! You can't be serious. I mean, you are offering to allow this.. this.." he made a frustrated noise, not able to completely put to words his opinion, "Starscream is a long term _Decepticon,_ and I do not doubt at all that he would jump at the chance to kill us in our sleep! And then return to Megatron with our helms on a platter! Do you _honestly_ expect him to magically become.." another sound, more of disgust than anything else. "Tell me you're _joking!"_ The larger bot gave his old friend a look, one that the aged medic half growled half huffed at before turning around to continue helping Bulkhead who was glaring darkly at Starscream.

"I do wish to become a part of your ranks, but.. your troops.. they do not seem to bear any mutual notion, other than to rip my spark out." He didn't know how right he was about that, but it was exactly then that Arcee realized she wouldn't be able to win this fight. Optimus was going to accept Starscream's request to switch sides, and none of them would be able to do anything about it. They might even get a lecture about allowing all living and thinking beings room to grow and change, and that they were expected to treat Starscream with the same courtesy as they would eachother.

And that is more or less what happened, leading up to her standing next to Ratchet, who was back to attempting to ignore everyone and everything in the room, with her arms crossed over her chassis and her optics pinned like poisoned daggers on the Seeker who was trying to converse with an awkwardly shuffling Bumblebee.

"I don't like it, Ratchet," she hissed, and was replied to with a return grumbling hum of agreement.

"How do we know he isn't going to tell the 'Cons where our base is?"

"I disabled his comm abilities for the time being and he won't be leaving the silo until we are certain he won't betray our trust."

"But what if he still does?"

"For the love of- can't you see I'm trying to preform delicate operations here? Go pester Bulkhead or something." Arcee narrowed her optics further, stalking angrily over to the equally angry green lug. They both sat in silence, watching the poor yellow scout attempt to nervously inch his way out of the one sided conversation with Starscream.

"I don't like it," she muttered again, leaning against the wall behind her and waiting for an excuse to end the pathetic silver mech's life.

And that was the beginning.

Starscream's wing cuffs were not removed immediately, as a reminder that until he proved himself he would be grounded and would not be allowed completely free roaming. During his time with the locks, he was surprisingly polite, offering to help organize, file information, do petty errands, and the likes. Whenever he was alone and in the same room as herself she would get a violent urge to "cause an accident." And when there were others around she'd want to shout that it was _him._ It was _him_ who had killed Cliffjumper! _He_ was the one!

But she knew it would have been a childish thing to do. She had missed her chance, and now all she had to do was wait for another. Though in all honesty she didn't know how much longer she could put up with the one causing her so much distress.

They tried to keep the children away from him, but Miko would be Miko, so it was a lost cause in the end. She at first was angry and accusing, remembering their last encounter in the caves, but for some reason she slowly warmed up. Jack at first seemed to more or less agree with both Optimus and Ratchet at the same time, and Raf remained tentative and awkward. Like Bumblebee. Overall, the kids were probably the ones who talked with him the most, and Arcee was always sure to keep a close eye on them.

He never did anything, though one time, claiming afterwards it had been a harmless joke, he had grabbed Miko and brought her closer to his helm, whispering something in a low voice with devious optics. It had been a look she hadn't seen in far too long on him. Arcee didn't know what had been said, but the shrill screech following told her it couldn't have been anything good. Especially if it was Miko screaming.

That had been the first and last time he "messed around" with the humans.

And then the cuffs were removed one day, and she was pretty sure she knew why.

Optimus was an honorable mech, who's views and opinions were what would lead them to victory some day. But he was also easily dragged into guilt trips. Arcee knew this is what Starscream was doing at the time. She knew he was pulling Optimus into a sympathetic spiral of understanding and forgiveness. Every time he called the Prime "master," and every time he bowed his helm into submission as their leader passed or flinched whenever a servo was raised above chassis level.

Optimus was an observant mech, and caught each and every one of these so called "phantoms" and "habits" of Starscream's original life. He attempted time and again to explain to Starscream no harm would come to him while in their care, and that there was no need to put him on such a pedestal in which he would compare himself with Megatron. He tried to comfort the Seeker in the only ways he could, by encouraging better attitudes from his men and even allowing short walks above ground as long as Starscream was under constant supervision.

And eventually he took the wing cuffs off as well, in an attempt to show that Starscream could relax a little. It was around this time that Bulkhead's processor was suddenly filled with a synthetic energon formula, and it was also around this time that things started becoming too much for her.

She was standing by her large friend, an empty smile gracing her features as she watched the big lug and Miko exchange jokes and laughs. Optimus had already retreated to his quarters, having been worn out during the entire event. Ratchet was berating Bulkhead on how he needed to take it easy for a while, always the worry wort at spark but the stern and grumpy old mech on the surface. Bumblebee was whooping cheerful beeps, talking about how they would still be able to kick 'Con can and wrestle. Overall, everyone was happy.

But she still felt sad. Even a bit scared.

"Hey guys? I'm going to retire for the night. Don't break anything," she told the others, receiving "goodnight"s from all around and then turning to head to her own quarters. Once she was out of hearing range, the laughter fading as she went down the halls, she stopped walking and let out a shaky vent, leaning against one of the walls and collapsing to her rear, legs extended out carelessly.

"By the Allspark.." she muttered, faint amusement entering her systems as she absently noted Ratchet was rubbing off on her. Which probably wasn't a good thing, but she couldn't care less. Besides, the term was very much appropriate at the time. Her systems were running at half power, Bulkhead just gave her the scare of her week, and then there was the problem with..

There was a soft tapping sound, even and measured, and she looked up suddenly. She knew exactly who it was, seeing as his pedes were the only ones that remained mostly silent when he walked, but it didn't reduce the surprise and sudden anger she felt. If anything it heightened them.

"What do you want," she bit out, optics narrowing instantly. Starscream didn't respond, only stopped walking as he reached her legs and sat down against the wall across from her, his own optics not meeting hers. She wanted to scream at him, tell him to get away from her, but all the energy left her frame suddenly as the previous events came back to her and she sighed, deflating and pressing her back against the wall again.

They remained in the silence like that for some time, long enough that she knew Bulkhead had taken Miko home. He spoke up then, still not meeting her gaze.

"It must be terribly hard for you." His voice held none of it's usual mocking tone, didn't pitch in a fashion as if he were superior. Those aspects had returned shortly after the cuffs were removed, but everyone knew it was a part of his permanent personality, and grudgingly excepted he would be very very annoying for his entire length of stay. However long that ended up being.

"What are you getting at," she asked suspiciously, if not a little irritated. She didn't know what he was talking about, didn't know if she wanted to know, but had enough spite welled up inside that she would ask for clarification anyway just to see if it would lead to an argument. In which she might be able to rip more secrets from him and reveal his true purpose.

"You lost a partner back on Cybertron, another here on Earth, and just now you almost lost a close friend. I can see that it-" she cut him off, anger flaring anew as he practically tore into her spark mercilessly with his words.

"What's it to you? Weren't you not long ago boasting about how you scrapped Cliffjumper yourself? All up on your high and mighty throne of superiority. Why would you care now?" He still kept his optics averted, and she was overwhelmed with the urge to lunge at him, grab his helm, and _make_ him look her in the face. _Make_ him see the pain he had caused her, was still causing her. She wanted to share her pain with him, make him _hurt,_ make him _scream_ for his life as she showed him _exactly_ what it was like to lose _everything._

"It was a mistake. I made many of them while under Megatron's command, oh so many. If I had had a choice, back before I was forced to join the Decepticons, I wouldn't ever have become who I am. I wanted to return Cybertron to it's true glory. To the Golden Age. But that dream has long since been crushed and buried forever.. I've lost my own partners before too, you know. I know what you're going through-"

"Oh really? _You_ know what _I'm _going through?" she snapped sardonically, crossing her arms over her chassis and glaring ice at him.

He finally looked up then, optics burning into hers with such sincerity that she believed it couldn't have been faked. The honest to the Well sorrow and helplessness in his look made all the bitter resentment simply wash away.

"Starscream.. I didn't-"

"It's fine. I can understand why you wouldn't believe me. But I do know how you feel, maybe even more than you yourself do. I use- let me finish," he requested calmly, raising a servo slightly as she was about to say something again. She closed her mouth and waited, wondering where her disgust had gone and why she couldn't bring it back. And then wondering why she would want to.

"As I was saying," he began again, "I used to be a part of a trine. Where, at minimum, three bots are joined by spark. Whether it be from creation or by a common ritual or some other scenario, they are linked in all ways. Mentally, physically, emotionally.. you get the picture. But as I said, I was once a part of a trine. We were brothers.. I lost Skywarp long after the evacuation of Cybertron, on one of the many planets we had stopped by on our chase after you Autobots. It was the way any soldier would die, no honor, no memory, no significance, nothing special, just suddenly a shot fired and his spark extinguished. It was the most painful experience I had ever gone through, but being commanded by Megatron I had no time to mourn. No break from duty except during recharge to just drown in the misery. And after a while, it was like Skywarp had never existed. Not to anyone else at least, but I never felt whole again."

"I'm so sorry, Starscream. I.. that's.." Arcee wasn't sure entirely what to say, and decided in the end to move to his side of the hall and rest a servo on his shoulder plating, looking up at him sympathetically. She was only lucky there had been no bond other than a strong, family like connection with her own partners. Although if he had survived long enough she was sure Tailgate might have become more.

Starscream rested his claw over her light touch, optics slightly grateful and yet a bit confused at the same time. The rest of the emotions revealed through them were all variations of pained, like bringing the memories up was physically hurting him. She wanted to take back what she had thought about earlier.

"What about your other brother," she asked softly, shifting her position so she was facing the other wall, helm rested against his upper arm.

"Thundercracker... he went when a turbine cog shattered. He was in the engine room, trying to fix whatever was wrong with the Nemesis, when the heat from the core had expanded the cog past it's limits and the entire system blew out. He wasn't actually dead by the time they got him to the medical bay, but there was nothing that could be done for his wounds. I watched the light slowly flicker from his optics and felt the bond with the last of my trine shatter, the pain bringing up the previous loss as well and doubling the impact it had one me. And now here I am, waiting for something to finally end me as well. I know it's going to happen sooner or later, but there are times when I wish later would come sooner."

They sat in silence for a moment more, and Arcee closed her optics, the humming from his internal systems lulling her to recharge.

"So I do know what you are going through, to an extent. You've lost two partners, one by my own claws which I will forever regret, and you just almost lost a good friend that has probably been there for you for a long time. And suddenly you couldn't be there for him. Plus, I'm probably not helping the situation by being here in the first place. I can see that it hurts you to think about it. I can see that you would rather fall into recharge and not wake up again, but I also know you're stronger than that." She reopened her optics, looking up and meeting his gaze. His sad, knowing gaze that was marked with a small smile.

"You are too," she replied, turning slightly and rolling over into his lap, chassis pressed against chassis. She wrapped her arms around his midsection as he gave a shocked gasp and buried her faceplates in his neck, grinning slightly when she felt his own arms tentatively wrap around her in return.

"I think I know that somewhere down there, deep inside of you, is a good mech. He's just locked away under all the repression instilled by Megatron." Starscream rested his helm on top of hers, a soft exhale escaping his dermas. She could feel he was relaxing, the tension and anxiety in his frame lessening as he melted into the embrace.

"I have seen him in you tonight," she continued, optics closing once again as he began stroking the back of her helm. She had never felt this comfortable. Not since Cliffjumper had passed at least. She realized the information of her partner being killed by the mech who's arms she was now in didn't stir any semblance of resentment anymore. Only mild disappointment. "The past can't be changed," Arcee said firmly, pulling away slightly to look Starscream in the optics, "but we can prepare for the future. I can't say I forgive you for offlining my partner, but I do think we can put those past actions behind us. Start anew."

He nodded in a sad sort of understanding, and she smiled at him. Truly happy for the first time.

"Name's Arcee. It's a pleasure to meet you" she introduced herself, pressing her forehelm against his.

"I am Starscream." She felt his servos on either side of her faceplates, his claws large enough to almost completely wrap around the back of her helm. "The pleasure is all mine," he growled with a smirk. And then there was a sharp pain where she knew her neural access port was, the hatch being ripped open. Before she could do anything, form any thought whatsoever, the world went black and cold.


End file.
